Saying goodbye is never easy… It was the fifth day of our trip across Central Mongolia. After spending two nights with a family of nomads and roughing it in gers; it was time to head back to Karakorum — the ancient capital of Mongolia. We would cover a distance of 130 km, along bumpy country…
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“The artist’s job is not to succumb to despair but to find an antidote for the emptiness of existence.” ― Woody Allen Last August, a month after we moved to Seoul, I crumbled into pressure, and reluctantly gave up my reclusive ways for cultural classes at the local centre for expats and tourists. I dabbled in…
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A year back, roughly around this time, I was a bundle of jittery nerves and two jelly feet. As July approached, so did my anxiety of having to relocate to a new country. The positive effect of living for two months in Seoul (April and May) — in preparation for the actual move — had…
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On most prominent public holidays, Seoul resembles a zombie town. I’d only heard about it and never experienced it until Lunar New Year last month. For starters, getting out of Seoul becomes a nightmare. If you have a car, it’s best to leave in the wee hours (around 2 AM) of the morning. For the rest of us…
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Jeju (Cheju) is perhaps the most popular tourist destination in South Korea. With cheap flights connecting all major cities, in the mainland, to Jeju; it makes for an excellent weekend getaway. Exploring the whole island itself, will take longer than a week and yet, it might not be possible to cover everything. Jeju is one of “The…
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“We should not teach children the sciences; but give them a taste for them.” Jean-Jacques Rousseau Growing up, I was lead to believe that science and art are two parallel disciplines, running alongside each other — never destined to meet. Perception plays an important role in what we believe and that in turn, influences our view…
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Incheon’s Chinatown has a strange mix of everything. Love stories painted on elaborate wall murals, grim memorials of war — cementing a 100 year political alliance, copious fields of wild flowers, and thankfully, a lot of room for escapism, in its ‘Fairy Tale Village‘. Although, this mural village exclusively targets kids, and is a treat…
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Meeting new people is an integral part of relocating to a new city. It’s also one of the biggest challenges that I face, possibly because, I’m not always good with small talk or meeting new people. I’ve probably mentioned it before, it’s pretty amazing that many of my friends or family, have had a Korean friend.…
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There are many things I love about Korea. Undoubtedly, mountains top the list of my favourites. Unlike walking, hiking has never been easy for me. Often, I’ve let my fear of heights get the better of me and have given in to defeat without a honest fight. And that’s why, I admire those rocky peaks —…
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Most of Seoul’s sidewalks are dwarfed by towering high rises. Fortunately, there still remain few spots in the city — dominated by red brick walls or painted graffiti. Not visible in plain sight, searching for these hidden gems, often involves climbing steep, curving alleys. While some of these might be listed as tourist hot spots, there…
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